Dr. Red Nose Who Help Seniors “Rediscover Their Childhood”

I have always been deeply impressed by these words spoken by Pauline, a teacher from France. They may seem like an obvious statement, but because this reality is so far removed from most people’s lives, it is very often forgotten.

That’s right! Even in the moment before they leave this world, people still deserve to enjoy a good quality of life. This deeply humane belief gives us enough courage to take risks and dream a daring dream with seniors before sunset.

In order to build better connections with seniors, we developed another group of clowns with a strong sense of the past. Along the way, we learned many old songs, observed what kinds of entertainment seniors enjoy today, and took courses on the physical and mental conditions people may experience in old age. Throughout this journey, we also seemed to gain a better understanding of the older people in our own families, which gave us a feeling of being deeply connected to ourselves.

Later, when we performed in person, we not only entered geriatric wards but also performed in thoracic intensive care units. The seniors’ conditions varied greatly, including different degrees of dementia, hearing loss, declining vision, and being bedridden. Of course, some were also in good physical and mental health. Because of these significant differences, we often faced challenges at first. But through repeated experiences, we gradually found ways to communicate harmoniously with them. “We are all human beings, and what we feel is no different from one another.”

When facing seniors, we sometimes feel strongly rejected. This rejection may come from their psychological state or from the illness itself:

As for their psychological state, although none of us can truly experience what they are going through, we can imagine the emotions brought about by the loss of physical abilities and the loneliness that comes from losing their former way of life. Yet in the process of empathizing, we have the opportunity to draw closer to them.

Another situation is caused by illness. For example, when communicating with people with moderate to severe dementia, we often feel as though we cannot enter their world. But if we simply spend some time observing carefully, we discover that they are also sending out signals.

I still remember once encountering an elderly gentleman while on the way to a performance. He paid no attention to us and simply kept slapping his thigh with his hand. It was not until we followed the same rhythm and made the same movement that he noticed the strange clowns in front of him. To my surprise, he began changing his movements, and we followed along. In the end, we developed a high-five game and played with him for a while, and we all laughed happily. It was a dialogue without words, but at that moment, we were indeed on the same wavelength, happily having a conversation.

Unlike the pure simplicity of children, elderly seniors carry not only physical illnesses but also the traces of six or seven decades of life. When interacting with them, the clowns usually do not create a wondrous and magical world. Instead, guided by their memories, we return together to the era they remember fondly.

I once interacted with an elderly gentleman beside his hospital bed. He had studied external and internal elixir qigong for many years, so the clowns eagerly learned from him. Whenever the clowns received instructions but performed movements that were both comical and exasperating, the old gentleman still taught them very seriously. During this interaction, he was filled with confidence and radiance as he spoke about his expertise. It was something in his life that he could be proud of, and also the self he missed.

I really enjoy performing for seniors. Their tears, smiles, and hands etched with lines are all filled with stories.

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